| What is Mesothelioma? A lot of people are not | | | | who has |
| aware of | | | | been exposed to asbestos can still put a person |
| this disease and thus, die due to the delay in | | | | at high |
| diagnosis. Millions of people die every year | | | | risk of Mesothelioma cancer. This disease takes |
| because of | | | | years |
| cancer; it is among the most pervasive illnesses | | | | to develop so a person exposed to asbestos |
| every | | | | might be |
| one of us is exposed to. Generally speaking, a | | | | diagnosed with Mesothelioma only after 20-50 |
| cancer | | | | years of |
| is a group of diseases characterized by alarming | | | | the exposure.Like other forms of cancers, |
| rapid | | | | Mesothelioma is named |
| growth of abnormal cells in the body. The | | | | after the part which is affected by the disease. |
| disease can | | | | In the |
| affect almost any part of the body and among | | | | case of Mesothelioma, the malignant cells are |
| the most | | | | found in |
| commonly affected are the lungs. Cancer-causing | | | | the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers |
| | | | different |
| substances are everywhere, especially in the air | | | | internal organs. This protective sac produces fluid |
| that | | | | |
| we breathe so the lungs are vulnerable to | | | | that lubricates the organs, allowing them to |
| several fatal | | | | move. They |
| diseases. One rare cancer that affects the lungs | | | | allow the beating of the heart and expanding and |
| is | | | | |
| Mesothelioma.Mesothelioma has been popularized | | | | contracting of the lungs, for example. Specifically, |
| only because of its | | | | |
| association with asbestos, a fibrous mineral form | | | | Mesothelioma affects the lining of the lung and |
| of | | | | chest |
| magnesium silicate used in fireproofing, chemical | | | | cavity. There are some cases, too, that the lining |
| filters, electrical insulation and others. Most of the | | | | of |
| patients diagnosed with Mesothelioma have been | | | | the abdomen (peritoneum) is the one affected. |
| frequently exposed to asbestos. They are those | | | | These two |
| who work | | | | types of Mesothelioma cancer are known as |
| in construction sites, shipyards, insulator makers | | | | Pleural |
| and | | | | Mesothelioma (affecting the lungs) and Peritoneal |
| similar places. They usually inhale the impure | | | | Mesothelioma (affecting the abdomen).Symptoms |
| fibers | | | | of Pleural Mesothelioma include panting, |
| from the asbestos that float through the air.It | | | | persistence of cough, loss of weight, fever and |
| can be noted that there are about 30-50 per cent | | | | chest |
| of | | | | pain. On the other hand, Peritoneal Mesothelioma |
| Mesothelioma patients who did not have any | | | | may |
| exposure to | | | | cause swelling and pain of the abdomen and also |
| asbestos, which leads to the assumption that | | | | weight |
| asbestos | | | | loss. During the early stages of Mesothelioma, the |
| may not be the sole cause of Mesothelioma. | | | | |
| There are | | | | symptoms are non-specific; thus, the disease is |
| some Mesothelioma patients, too, that had only | | | | not |
| little | | | | immediately identified. Also, the symptoms are |
| exposure to asbestos but had contracted the | | | | often |
| disease. | | | | mistaken as signs of pneumonia. |
| Activities such as washing clothes of a person | | | | |